Ambassador for Christ
A Sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:20
Originally preached Sept. 21, 1958
Scripture
20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Sermon Description
Listen to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones as he preaches this sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:20 and the ease with which humanity drifts from the primary principles and why are they here on earth. Look at the picture of an ambassador – someone appointed and called by God to bring the news of the gospel. This is a person who has been given a brief and important message; they are not bringing their own opinion or ideas. What does the gospel say about this great responsibility? Learn of humanity’s exceeding need to be reconciled to God: “If One died for all, then all are dead.” All are in need of this reconciliation because of who humanity is and who God is. Learn that all humanity is spiritually dead under the wrath of God, and unless this is changed, they will not reap the blessings of God. There is hope and God offers this needed reconciliation through His only Son. The Lord’s Supper displays this incomprehensible sacrifice God made to satisfy His own wrath. Today is the day of salvation; nothing else is needed but to believe and accept. Sin is put on Christ and His righteousness imputed to those He calls, giving hope for reconciliation with God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is reviewing his ministry in 2 Corinthians 5.
- He wants to be clear that he is a minister sent by God, not self-appointed.
- It's easy for preachers and congregations to lose sight of the purpose and meaning of the church.
- The church is not a human institution or club. It was instituted by God for a purpose.
- Many people today think the church has nothing to say, but that is because they misunderstand its purpose.
- The church's purpose is to be an ambassadorship, representing God's message to the world.
- Preachers like Paul are ambassadors, sent with a message from God. They do not speak for themselves.
- As ambassadors, preachers have an immense responsibility to accurately represent God's message.
- God called Paul, like He calls all true preachers, to preach repentance and faith in Christ.
- Men need to repent because they are dead in sin, trespassers against God, and lack righteousness.
- Men also need to repent because God is holy, righteous, and just. He hates sin and will judge it.
- But God has provided the way of reconciliation through Christ. He was made sin for us, though He knew no sin.
- God put our sins upon Christ and punished them in Him so He could reconcile us to Himself.
- We must accept this reconciliation today because we do not know if we will have another chance.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones pleads with people to be reconciled to God through Christ without delay.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Ambassadors for Christ
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean when he describes preachers as "ambassadors for Christ"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, being an "ambassador for Christ" means the preacher is someone who has been appointed and sent by God, not self-appointed. He explains: "An ambassador is a man who hasn't appointed himself an ambassador, [but] is somebody who's been called and has been appointed by somebody else." The preacher represents God and Christ, speaking on their behalf, with a specific message to deliver. As Lloyd-Jones notes, "I am speaking, he says, and all who preach the message are preaching in Christ's stead. I'm standing, as it were, he says, before you for God."
What is the message that the Christian ambassador is commissioned to deliver?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the ambassador's message is the "word of reconciliation." This message has two key components: First, that humanity needs to be reconciled to God because we are "dead in trespasses and sins," lack righteousness, and stand under God's judgment. Second, that God has provided the way of reconciliation through Christ: "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." The preacher's message isn't his own opinions or ideas but the unchanging gospel message that God has committed to His ambassadors.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasize the urgency of the gospel message?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes urgency because: 1) The way to reconciliation is open now - "Today is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation"; 2) Life is uncertain and death could come at any moment - "When we die, we stand in the presence of God and you don't know when that's going to happen to you"; 3) The present life without God leads to misery and ultimately hell - "The life you've been living is not worth living...It leads to misery already. It leads to unhappiness and wretchedness and it ends in hell." This urgency is expressed in his repeating of Paul's words, "I beseech you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the transaction that occurs at the cross?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones describes what happens at the cross as a divine exchange: "What a wonderful transaction. What a marvelous thing was that which happened at the cross. He takes my sins and puts them on Christ, and then he takes his perfection and puts it on me." More specifically, "He imputes my sins to him. He imputes his righteousness to me, and so he reconciles me unto himself." This is illustrated in 2 Corinthians 5:21, which he quotes: "He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the proper response to the gospel message?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that the proper response is immediate faith and acceptance of what Christ has done. He specifically warns against thinking we need to do something to make ourselves worthy: "You mustn't go away saying, 'Ah, I'm interested. I'm going to be a Christian now. I must start living a good life. I must start doing this and that, and then I will be fit.' But never. If you don't believe it now and accept it now, you haven't understood it." The only response needed is belief: "You but believe it and accept it, and you do so now, today... The way is open. You've nothing to do. And if you try to do anything, you haven't understood it."
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Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.